


These Feelings Are Not For Words

by greeneggs101



Series: Silhouettes [1]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Between the Scenes, Drabble Collection, M/M, sorta - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-09
Updated: 2019-08-18
Packaged: 2020-08-13 20:31:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20180293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greeneggs101/pseuds/greeneggs101
Summary: The brunet blinked again, “Well, I don’t mind. If the thought of protecting me is what gives you strength, then I’m really glad...” He trailed off, glancing down in thought. “I just-- Riku, I hope that you reserve some of that strength to protect yourself as well.”This time it was Riku’s turn to blink before huffing. “Right...”Should I say something more? Would he still be glad?“What?” Sora sounded confused. “What are you so quiet for? I’m first in your heart, just like you’re first inmine.”Five times Riku (and Sora) talked about feelings (but not really) over the course of KH3.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a series of drabbles/ficlets? That I had written quickly and without much thought back when I played KH3 for the first time. When I stumbled across them again, I still kinda liked the basic premise for most of them, so I expanded/cleaned them up and decided to post them as a sort of ficlet collection with a sort of overarching story. 
> 
> ....if that makes sense.
> 
> Omg and thank you so much to Fireborn for betaing this fic (and one other... please stand by ^_^) And also thanks for the help with the summary. Always the hardest thing to do when posting a fic...

Sora’s grin was so bright, Riku doubted he would even need the light on as the brunet darted into a spare room to change. Donald and Goofy were getting their clothes cleaned by the fairies as well, so they could begin their new adventure with a fresh start. 

Riku knocked softly before entering, not waiting for a reply. He and Sora used to barge in on each other changing all the time, and he doubted that the years had changed anything. Sora was still grinning even as he slammed the suitcase on the spare bed. Riku chuckled. “So, you happy now?”

“I haven’t even seen them yet!” Sora responded, quickly opening up the case. His grin only grew brighter when he saw the red color peep out from the suitcase. Sora always loved that color. 

“Look Riku! The buttons match yours!” Sora chuckled as he stripped his jacket off, then his shirt. 

Riku snorted and came up behind Sora, picking the discarded clothes off the floor and folding them. “Always such a slob.” 

“You wouldn’t love me any other way though!” Sora teased, slipping his new shirt on. 

Riku was glad that Sora’s face was out of sight for the moment as he felt his own heat up. _ Love. _ Why did Sora have to use _ that word? _

“Riku?” 

Riku looked away, trying to hide his blush. 

“Riku. I don’t know what you’re trying to hide, but if it’s your face, you’re failing.” 

Dammit. 

Letting out a sigh, Riku walked over, placing Sora’s old clothes on the same bed as the briefcase. “It’s nothing. I’ll come and say goodbye before we leave this time, I promise.” He hoped that would be the end of it and turned towards the door. No reason to make a big deal out of it if-- 

Sora grabbed his hand before Riku could wander too far off. “No, what’s wrong? I was just teasing you, I didn’t--”

“I know...” Riku quickly interrupted. Of course, Sora would never mean it. Not in the way that-- “I just...” He trailed off with a shrug. He couldn’t put it into words. It was kind of embarrassing, to lay himself bare like that, even in front of his oldest friend. 

“Riku.” Sora spoke his name in more of a sigh, and a hand reached up to grasp his shoulder. Riku had always been proud to be taller than Sora. He was older after all. But now he wished that he hadn’t run quite so far ahead. He wished that he and Sora could see things eye to eye once again. 

Sora squeezed his shoulder comfortingly. “Please don’t shut me out. Did I say something wrong?”

“No!” Riku was quick to reassure him, “No, it’s not that-- it’s just...” He let out another sigh. How could he begin to explain_ this? _

As he thought, he felt Sora pull at his arm till they were both seated on the bed. Finally, Riku took a deep breath. “Look. When we-- Mickey and I-- were in the Realm of Darkness, I wasn’t scared this time.”

Sora frowned. “Were you scared last time? When you were with me?”

“Yeah... a little I guess. But I was thinking mostly about the time before that. When we closed the door.” When he thought that he would never see Sora again. 

When he felt true heartbreak for the first time.

“Oh.” Sora kicked his feet out a bit. “It’s kinda weird to hear that you were scared of something. I mean, except for spiders.”

Riku pushed Sora’s shoulder lightly. “I was not scared of spiders. I just preferred it if they were outside. Where they’d be happier.”

“Yeah but you always made _ me _ take them outside.” Sora’s teasing tone turned to laughter when Riku tickled him in response to that. It was made easier by the fact that Sora was still only half-dressed. “Riku! Riku--stop!!” He continued to laugh though, even as Riku pulled away. 

That laughter always made Riku’s chest feel warm in a good way, and now was no different, even with the topic of conversation. 

“So?” Sora asked, supporting himself with his arms as he leaned back. “What changed this time?” 

“Hmm.” Riku held up his hand, remembering a promise from a long time ago. “At first I thought it was because I was with Mickey but he said that wasn’t it. He said it was because... I had found the strength I needed. To protect what matters.”

“That’s great!” Sora grinned, knocking Riku’s arm lightly, “I mean, obviously you did. You’re a Master after all!” 

“Yeah...” Riku clenched his fist, then offered a grin of his own. “You’ll be one too, soon enough.” 

Sora hummed, glad that his best friend had that confidence in him that the others seemed to lack a bit. “So, what’s got you all red-faced though. Is it something weird? That thing you want to protect. It’s not, like, that one sandcastle we made when we were little right? You protected that thing for days and--” Sora cut off with a giggle when Riku elbowed him in the gut. Honestly, knowing someone for forever meant they always knew how to cause the most embarrassment. 

“It’s not weird, exactly.” Riku blushed again and ducked his head. He would just have to say it. “It’s just, uh, when I think of what I want to protect most, I always think of you first.” 

Sora blinked and tilted his head. “Oh. Is that... a bad thing? 

“No!” Riku huffed out, tensing up, his hand clenching so tight could feel his fingernails through his gloves. “Yes! Maybe?” He sighed, trying to calm his heart rate. “I just-- Is it a bad thing?” He turned Sora’s question back on him. The only thing that would make it somewhat negative was the reaction of his best friend. 

The brunet blinked again, “Well, I don’t mind. If the thought of protecting me is what gives you strength, then I’m really glad...” He trailed off, glancing down in thought. “I just-- Riku, I hope that you reserve some of that strength to protect yourself as well. 

This time it was Riku’s turn to blink before huffing. “Right...” _ Should I say something more? Would he still be glad? _

“What?” Sora sounded confused. “What are you so quiet for? I’m first in your heart, just like you’re first in _ mine _.” 

Riku’s heart jumped. “What?”

“I mean, you kinda share it with Kairi-- and Donald and Goofy I suppose but it’s not the same-- er--.” Sora looked a bit flustered. “I mean, it goes-- you and Kairi are definitely tied for first. But Donald and Goofy are really up there too-- Oh, and I can’t forget about Jiminy again. So he’s like...third? And then there are all my other friends, but I can’t _ rank _ them. Oh shit, but then there's my parents. Um, you and Kairi and then Donald and Goofy... then I suppose my parents-- do I have to claim them?” He looked at Riku for help, panic clear in his eyes. 

Riku blinked a bit, then started to laugh. Somehow Sora had missed the point completely and still managed to make Riku stop worrying about it. Of course, Sora wouldn’t see it the way Riku did, but that’s what made him so endearing. Riku bent over a new round of chuckles brought on by Sora’s panicked protests, feeling nothing but relief as he laughed. It wasn’t until Sora was shaking him that he managed to catch his breath. 

“C’mon Riku! It’s not funny. What if that’s important for the Mark of Mastery?!” 

“I don’t think it is,” Riku huffed out, rubbing Sora’s hair fondly. “If it was, you’d fail instantly. I don’t think you could ever try and rank the people in your heart. I don’t mind sharing.” _ As you said earlier, I _ wouldn’t _ love you any other way. _

“Good.” Sora calmed down, the panic leaving his eyes. “Cause I think I would give up altogether before having to choose between you and Kairi.”

“Oh, Kairi wouldn’t take an automatic first spot?” Riku teased, surprised when Sora looked thoughtful about it. 

“Well, it’s kinda hard to explain. Because I love you both, but it’s different. It’s not like one type of love is more important than the other, it’s just _ different.” _ He frowned, looking up to catch Riku’s gaze. “Please don’t make me explain it more than that...” 

Riku smiled gently and took pity, ruffling those brunet spikes again. “I won’t. Wouldn’t want to break that fragile brain of yours more than it already is.”

“Hey!” Sora growled but quickly broke the facade to turn it into a grin. “I do love you though, and if thinking of me makes you strong enough to survive the Realm of Darkness, then I hope you think of me often.”

“Right,” Riku agreed, then turned back to Sora’s new clothes, only slightly eager to change the topic. They would probably revisit this conversation one day, but hopefully long after this war was over. “So, do you think the faeries just discovered that plaid exists or it was a special request from Yen Sid?”

“I dunno,” Sora only hesitated for a moment before going with the change of topic. “Last time I think that they had just discovered zippers and straps. So many straps...” The brunet shook his head, “I kept getting trapped on branches and stuff till I figured out how to maneuver in them.”

Riku chuckled, pulling out the jacket to reach the pants so Sora could change into those as well. “At least they took into account your slight growth spurt.”

“Now I know you’re just teasing me,” Sora groaned, quickly shuffling out of his old pants and into his new ones. Riku passed him the jacket last, and Sora slid it on, giving a few good stretches to test the give of the shoulders. He then summoned his keyblade and did a few swings. “Perfect!”

He really did look perfect. But Riku kept that thought to himself and nodded in agreement, ruffling brown spikes once again. “Now if only we could get _ this _ under control, you’d almost be mistaken for an adult.”

“Hey!” Sora laughed, then reached up to tug at Riku’s own hair. “I was gonna ask, did you get a haircut before entering the Realm of Darkness or what?”

Riku frowned, tugging at the same strand. “What do you mean?” Did something happen to his hair?

Sora frowned as well. “Haven’t you seen a mirror lately? I know it’s shorter than the last time I saw it, and that was just a few days ago!”

“Huh? No way!” 

Together, they searched for a mirror, finding one near the desk, and Riku took a quick glance. “Oh.” It _ was _ shorter. He hadn’t even noticed and Mickey hadn't said anything. But when did it happen? Riku thought for a moment, “I think, well, It must have happened when I was swallowed by those Shadows...”

“Swallowed by _ what _?!” Sora looked panicked so Riku was quick to reassure him. 

“I’m fine! Mickey got rid of most of them and they spat me back out, but they are stronger in the Realm of Darkness, and they formed this tower...” He thought back to that moment, still half wondering if he had dreamt that voice or not. “Anyway, maybe they took a nibble of my hair while I was trapped in there.” It wouldn’t be the most ridiculous thing he had ever seen a Heartless do.

“A nibble?” Sora reached up to yank at a strand again. “It’s nearly as short as it was when we were toddlers! 

“Yeah, yeah.” Riku huffed, running a hand through the shortened strands, not sure if he completely liked it yet or not. 

“Will you cut mine?” 

Riku blinked, surprised by the question. “Excuse me?”

Sora held out a pair of scissors. “Not as short. I don’t think I could pull that look off as well as you can, but maybe just a bit?”

Riku took the scissors, more out of a lack of anything else to do, and Sora quickly took a seat in the desk chair. “I... are you sure?”

“Of course!” Sora leaned back so he could give Riku an upside-down grin. “I trust you!”

“I...” _ There are some things you really shouldn’t trust me with, _ Riku thought, but obligingly, he began to pull and snip at Sora’s hair, careful not to take off too much, but just enough to tame the spikes a bit. Sora really _ was _ starting to resemble a porcupine. When he thought he had cut enough, Riku ruffled his hands through it a few times to get it to lay just right, snipping off a few more pieces then set the scissors down to grab the mirror. “Well?” 

“Perfect!” Sora exclaimed running a quick hand through it and then turning in the chair, kneeling on it. With the slight boost, their gazes met eye to eye, and then Riku found himself wrapped up in a tight hug. 

“Thank you!”

Riku huffed, amused by his exuberance, and tried to return the gesture. It was a little awkward with a chair in the way, but Sora didn’t seem to mind. “You’re welcome.” 

After a long moment, maybe too long, Riku pulled away a bit. “Now... you wanna whine about anything else or are you ready to get started?”

Sora pouted, “I wasn’t whining...” 

“Right.” Riku chuckled and headed towards the door. “C’mon, you dork.”

Sora laughed, meeting Riku at the door. He turned and glanced back at the mess of old clothes he left behind before he gave Riku a grin and ran ahead, calling for Donald and Goofy as he did so. 

Riku struggled for a moment to not call him back, to not ask for one more hug. Sora had his mission, just as he had his own. 

There would be time to discuss change later. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even after the day was saved by an act of true love, Sora couldn't stop thinking of Elsa. And how she reminded him of Riku.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of a shorter drabble, mostly connecting why Sora and company decided to go back to the tower...

Sora frowned from where he leaned back against the chair of the gummiship. After multiple rounds of sledding, racing Kristoff and Anna a few times, they had to admit it was time to move on. Sora wanted to stick around for a bit more, wondering if Larxene would come back, but then he remembered that Anna and Elsa would only be threatened if Sora  _ didn’t _ find all of the guardians of light. So, he would have to continue his journey. 

But where to now?

Suddenly a sound echoed throughout the small cockpit, one that Sora was just now recognizing as the gummiphone ringtone. He slid it out of his pocket and hit the green button, expecting another call from Ienzo. “Hello?”

“Hey, guys!” 

“Your majesty!” Goofy and Donald pushed him out of the way, again. Seriously, couldn’t they just get their own phones?

“Hey, Sora!”

“Riku!” Sora pushed Donald and Goofy out of the way, and, okay, he understood now why they were so happy to see the King. He offered up a grin. “Hey! How’s it going?”

Riku moved the screen so both he and Mickey could be on the phone at the same time. “It’s going... we got some good leads on where Terra might be. As well as on the Replicas. Want to meet up with us at Master Yen Sid’s tower so we can all go over it?”

“Sure!” Sora quickly agreed, then frowned. “Actually, Riku, can I have a word with you? Alone?”

“Sure.” Riku stood up with the phone and looked like he was walking a little away from Mickey to get some privacy. 

Sora stood up and did the same, Donald quickly coming over to slide into the pilot seat, punching in the coordinates for the tower’s last known location. 

“Sora? What’s up?”

Sora blinked, realizing that he had reached an area that gave him the semblance of privacy, but he hadn’t actually started talking. “I uh-- er-- I met someone. Someone who reminded me a lot of you?”

“Oh?”

Sora nodded, “Yeah. She was a queen.”

Even over the small screen, Sora could see Riku’s confusion. “A queen reminded you of _ me? _ ”

“Er-- well--Not the queen part,” Sora rubbed the back of his neck, not sure how to explain. “Her name was Elsa and she ran away from home because the queen had these ice powers. They were amazing, Riku! Better than I can do with a standard Blizzard spell.”

“Okay...”

Sora shook his head, “Right. Not important. What I mean is, Elsa thought her ice powers would hurt people, so she isolated herself from those that cared about her and she pushed everyone away out of fear.” Sora let out a sigh. “She even hurt her sister on accident. I mean, the sister got better, but I couldn’t imagine what was going through the queen’s head.”

“I could,” Riku murmured. 

Sora nodded, “Yeah, and it was when Elsa was running away that I noticed she was sad. I just-- It reminded me of when you and I were on opposite sides of that door. You were sad too... and then you kept pushing me away because you thought it would protect me...” Sora shook his head. “I know you got over it but--”

“Sometimes I still think that,” Riku admitted, almost too quiet for Sora to hear, “Just... that you would be safer if I kept my distance.”

“But I don’t want to be safe like that!” Sora was quick to shout, only lowering his voice when Goofy and Donald looked his way. “I mean... You around doesn’t put me in danger or anything.”

“I know, but sometimes I’m still afraid that I’ll…” Riku trailed off, shaking his head for a moment before continuing. “But then I remember what you told me. That I shouldn't do things on my own because I had you and everyone else. And knowing that you wanted me around made the negative emotions less important. He offered Sora a small grin, one the brunet eagerly returned. 

“I’m glad,” Sora said, relieved at Riku’s words. “I mean... I think that’s what gave Elsa the confidence to go back to her home too. Knowing that her sister would love her no matter what. That’s even what helped heal the hurt she had caused Anna. Love.”

“Love can be a pretty powerful light,” Riku said. “You and I would know that.”

“Yeah.” Sora grinned, remembering the bright light that had shown the way out of the Realm of Darkness. An unbreakable bond that had opened a door. 

“Look,” Riku said, “We can talk about it more when you get to Yen Sid’s tower if it’s still bothering you.”

“It’s not!” Sora was quick to reassure, “It’s just... thinking that you were ever that sad makes me sad.” 

“Well, I’m not sad anymore, so you shouldn’t be either!” Riku said, a grin on his face, which brightened Sora’s mood considerably. “I’ll see you soon, okay?”

“Yeah!” Sora offered one last grin. “Soon!”

With that, he hung up and let out a sigh. 

Riku wasn’t sad anymore. He said so himself. 

So why was there still a sadness in Sora's own heart? 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riku and Kairi quietly have a chat as they wait for Sora to return with Ven and Aqua. 
> 
> (.... and they actually have some interaction because how else did Kairi know that Riku wanted a minute alone to talk with the replica?)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm glad everyone is enjoying this series! :D 
> 
> This drabble was very short and bare when I first wrote it after playing KH3. But then the novels came out and it became evident that the fear of change that I had been feeling from Kairi over the... what 2? scenes she had been in at this point in the game, was supposed to be there. So I fleshed that out a bit. (And I had Kairi actually mention Riku's hair because omg that's really kinda cute that she wanted to say something but wasn't sure if she should or not? Kairi is so insecure and I totally understand that. Please let me wrap her up in blankets and a hug!!)

Riku looked out the window at the stars, wondering which world Sora had run off to this time. 

Though, he supposes that the running off part wasn’t exactly Sora’s fault. 

Aqua had insisted on going to wake Ventus up now, and since Sora, Donald, and Goofy weren’t as physically and mentally exhausted as Riku and Mickey, they volunteered to take Aqua there. Riku and Mickey returned to the Mysterious Tower to rest and wait. 

Though Riku only lasted about five minutes before he wished that he had gone with Sora instead. 

It had been... indescribable. That moment where he called out to Sora with his whole heart and Sora  _ answered. _ Summoning their combined keyblade and taking the Demon Tower out with one blow. 

And then--

Sora just...appeared. Out of nowhere. 

He was just so--so-- 

Sora. 

“Hey, Riku!”

Riku’s heart jumped at the voice, whipping his head around to face Kairi’s grin. “Kairi, you--!” He held a hand over his heart. “You--”

Kairi giggled, “I never thought I’d see the day I’d be able to sneak up on you.” She took a seat next to him at the window. “Are... Are you doing okay?”

“Huh?” Riku looked closer at her. She sounded... off. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just a little jumpy I guess.” 

Kairi nodded. “That’s good.” She let out a sigh, drawing her knees up to her chest. 

Riku stared at her in confusion, not sure why she was acting so awkward. As if he was a stranger. “Are you s--” He was cut off by a loud  _ ding! _

It was followed in quick succession by several more  _ dings! _ His phone continued to ping even as he pulled it out of his jacket. 

Kairi’s eyes were wide. “Wow. You sure are popular.” 

Riku chuckled. “It’s not that, it’s--” another  _ ding! _ Then the phone, thankfully, went silent. “I think it’s just texts. I didn’t get much service in the Realm of Darkness. Chip and Dale warned me that this could happen. That any messages might come in all at once.” 

He let out a chuckle as he opened the messaging app, expecting a few from the chipmunks, a couple from Ienzo, and maybe one or two from Sora. 

47 messages. 

Riku blinked. Who had time to send--

He flipped through them and he found that a majority of them were from Sora. Some had pictures, others were just quick jokes. There were messages of questions, exclamations, and well wishes. All from Sora. 

“Whoa. He.... you’re never far from his mind, huh?” Kairi had leaned over to glance at the phone.

Riku glanced away from the messages for a moment, wondering just how to address them all, and looked at Kairi. “Uh... yeah, I guess. Did you get this many?”

“No.” 

Riku frowned. “Well I’m sure--”

“He sent a few,” Kairi admitted pulling out her own phone. “I would get them every once in a while. I did--It didn’t feel right to respond. So I didn’t. Not really.” She glanced over at Riku. “Did you?"

“Of course,” Riku was already pulling up the reply button, typing out a text. “Whenever I could. You know Sora. He worries.” 

“Yeah.” 

Riku looked over, pausing in his message writing. It could wait a few moments. “What’s wrong? You are seriously not yourself today.” 

“It’s...nothing.” Kairi shrugged, “Or it’s everything.” She looked out at the stars. “Tomorrow’s gonna change everything, right?”

“Maybe,” Riku admitted. “Hopefully for the better.” He glanced back over at her. 

“I’m scared.” 

Riku blinked, not used to hearing such words coming from her. “Scared? This from the girl who would leap off the top of the paopu tree island with barely a flinch when we were six?” 

Finally, Kairi cracked a small grin. “That’s easy. I’m scared... of what’s gonna change. What’s gonna happen next. It’s frightening, to not know what the future holds.” Her hands gripped her knees. “I just want to have something I know will never change. No matter what.” 

“Well, you know I’ll always be your friend,” Riku reassured her. “You, me, and Sora. We’ll always be best friends.” 

“...right.” 

Riku frowned, then laid a hand gently over her own. “I mean it, Kairi. No matter what, I’ll always be a part of your life. Sora too. So no matter what change comes in the future, we’ll all face it together. Whether it means we’re by your side or in your heart. Together.” 

Kairi turned to look at him, a tear running down her face. “I have a bad feeling Riku. I can’t-- I don’t want to lose either of you.” 

“You won’t.” He squeezed her hand. “No matter where we go, we’ll always be in your heart. Okay?” He offered her a grin. “You have my vow, though Sora might be a little harder to pin down. You know how scatterbrained he is.”

Kairi chuckled, raising her hand to dry her eyes. “Yeah. Never sits still unless he’s sleeping.”

“Exactly,” Riku laughed as well, turning back to his message.  _ My phone just dinged almost fifty times. I hope you’re happy.  _

The reply was near-instantaneous. Sora and Aqua must have succeeded in their quest.  _ Happy? I thought for sure I’d hit fifty. I’m disappointed. Wait. Don’t do anything. How far off was I? I gotta send that many more messages. _

Riku laughed.  _ I’m not telling.  _

_ Riku!! _

“You’ll take care of him, right?”

“Huh?” Riku turned to look at Kairi again, but she was already standing up to leave. “Kairi?”

“When Sora gets back, we should all go to the play island for a bit. Before everything tomorrow. One last night, yeah?” 

Riku didn’t like how final this was all sounding with her. “There will be more.” 

“Not like this,” Kairi said, brushing her hair away from her face. “So just... for me? Please?”

Riku hesitated but nodded. “Okay. I might need a minute or two alone when we get there. I gotta--uh--” He wasn’t sure how to explain about the replica. He figured Sora would understand, but Sora also didn’t remember the replica. And Riku had some stuff he wanted to say. “I’ll meet you and Sora on the paopu island as soon as I can. Okay?”

Kairi offered him a small grin and nodded. “Okay. I’ll let Sora know. For now, though, you want to wait for him at the entrance?”

Riku grinned and nodded. “Sure.” 

Together they waited, a little awkwardly, but no less enthusiastic for their friend. 

“Hey, Riku?”

Riku turned from where he had been watching the gummiship attempt its third landing. “Yeah?”

“I just... I wanted to let you know, I like your new haircut.” 

Kairi looked a little shy when saying it, but her eyes stayed firmly on his as if she was using every ounce of bravery she had to do so. 

“Thanks.” Riku grinned, and her smile brightened a bit before she turned back to watching the gummiship. 

Fear of change must have been really weighing on her for a while now. He hoped that maybe a night spent on the beach would ease her fears a bit. 

For now, their brown-haired friend was finally landing the gummiship on the front lawn. 

They could now talk in person rather than through texts that may or may not go through. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! :D (Next drabble... though with the length it's really more of a ficlet... will include some UST sparring between Riku and Sora... as inspired by recent twitter threads)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riku needs to see all of the cool new Keyblade transformations Sora has learned! And it might lead to a bit of UST...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So originally this was just Sora and Riku chatting on the beach, but then Fireborn brought up a need for ust sparring and well... it just fit here. So enjoy! :D

After Kairi’s paopu sharing request, she looked better. Calmer in a way. 

Sora was glad he could help her feel better about whatever it was that was hurting her. 

He then turned his attention back to Riku, wishing to take his hurt away too. And he knew Riku was hurting. He hid it well, but when their hearts touched to summon their combined blade, Sora had felt it. 

Riku felt hurt but had resigned himself to it. And he shouldn’t have to. “I’m...gonna check on Riku.” 

Kairi frowned. “He said he--”

“I know.” Sora slid off the trunk of the tree anyway. “But it doesn’t feel right without Riku here, you know?”

Kairi stared for a moment before letting out a sigh. “You’re right. It really doesn’t. I’ll... head back into town and pick up some supplies for our journey tomorrow. And maybe some ice cream for us to share while we stargaze. I don’t think anything will live up to sea salt, but they had this paopu flavor when I was last in town that--”

“Kairi, I didn’t mean for you to leave.” Why did it feel like both of his friends were pulling away all of a sudden?

“I’ll be right back,” Kairi grinned. “I think there’s something you and he need to work out.” 

She slid off the trunk as well and together they walked over the bridge to the main island. Sora waved as she continued on to the rowboat they had taken over from the main island. Then Sora walked over to Riku, taking a seat beside him. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong.” 

“Liar.” 

Riku chuckled, “Really. It’s-- just something I had to make peace with. It’s alright now.” 

“Tell me?”

“No way.” Riku looked away, smile going from resigned to stubborn. 

Sora frowned. “C’mon. Is it a secret or something? You know I’m the best secret-keeper in the world!!” 

“Nuh-uh, not about this.” Riku glanced back, his smile almost shifting into something teasing. “Besides, who told the whole class I was afraid of spiders.” 

“Only because the teacher was yelling at you to get back to your seat and you wouldn’t because of the spider under your desk.” Sora laid his head on Riku’s shoulder. “So.... you gonna tell me?”

“Nope!” 

“Riku!!” Now Riku was just being stubborn about it. Sora huffed and stood up, summoning his keyblade. “Fine then. We'll spar.”

“What?” 

“C’mon Riku, don’t tell me you forgot how to spar already?” Sora hopped back a few feet and got ready. “We still gotta break our tie anyway. This one decides it. And If I win, you gotta tell me what’s wrong.” 

“It’s really nothing that serious...” Riku grumbled but obligingly stood and summoned his own keyblade. “Ready?”

“Always.” 

Sora struck first, swinging low to try and get Riku’s legs out from under him, but Riku was smart and jumped instead. Sora dodged under the blow and guarded the next few attacks. He felt his power building. Through unspoken agreement, neither used magic beyond a Curaga spell. 

Riku barely landed the next few blows, but it opened himself up to a couple of attacks from Sora. The brunet landed a few light blows, then went in for a finishing move that Riku barely dodged. It didn’t matter much though as Sora felt his power build up another level. With a flick of his wrist, he switched over to the keychain he got from his friends, Woody and Buzz. 

“That’s new,” Riku said as he swung again, locking blades with Sora’s. 

“You’re one to talk! What kind of key is that?” Sora pointed at Riku’s new blade. It was the first time he was able to see it up close and it was kinda weird. It was silver and had a key-shaped hilt, but the blade had divots instead of the usual bit Sora had on his blade. 

Riku looked at it briefly. “I... don’t know exactly, but Yen Sid said it was what my heart formed when I needed a new key.” He raised it again, and Sora also realized that Riku’s fighting stance had changed. It wasn’t as stiff anymore, as rigidly formal. Now it was loose and easy. 

Whatever Riku had realized in the Realm of Darkness had really changed him in more than hair. In all the best ways, Riku finally looked at home in his body. 

Sora’s heart warmed at the thought. Maybe now Riku could see himself the way Sora always saw him. 

He didn’t have much more time to dwell on it though as Riku came in for another strike. Sora raised his blade to block and then retaliated, landing another blow. 

He felt the power stirring within him, and he flipped his keyblade up in the air, watching it transform till it landed back in his hands as a powerful hammer. 

“What?!” Riku shouted, the transformation startling him for a long moment. “Is that something you can just... do now? Just like that? No training?” He fell back when Sora struck at the ground, sending up a shockwave. 

Sora laughed. “I was kinda surprised too... but I think it’s gonna prove useful against the Heartless? What do you think?”

“I think you have just become their worst nightmare,” Riku laughed, still trying to strike at Sora.

The brunet knew that the hammer made his strikes slower, but he didn’t have enough power to transform again so soon. Maybe after a few more--

Riku landed a few more blows, getting close enough for Sora to strike back quickly. Not enough to seriously damage Riku, (though he was glad when the older boy cast a Curaga on himself), but just enough to power up again for another transformation. 

“What the hell is that?!” Riku panted, breathing heavy but ready for another round. He glared at the drill in Sora’s hand. “Seriously?”

Sora grinned, “I know right? It’s amazing!” He hefted the drill up and went in for an attack. 

Riku deflected it quickly, but couldn’t deflect the next blow that knocked him off his feet. Sora went after him, striking quickly but Riku managed to meld into the shadows and dodge out of the way. 

Sora panted. He could never hold this form for too long. Glancing around, he finally spotted Riku meld out of the shadows and Sora slammed the drill into the ground, causing an earthquake to rattle the sand and several smaller drills to pop up. He smirked even as the drill returned to its keyblade form. That  _ had _ to work.

When the dust cleared, Riku was nowhere in sight, and Sora glanced around expectantly. Where did he--

“Looking for me?” 

Sora gasped and looked up where Riku was--

“So I’m not the only one who learned new tricks, huh?” Sora laughed, locking on to Riku’s barrier and jumping into the air. 

Riku had to drop the barrier that was holding him aloft in order to deflect Sora’s attack and he dropped to the ground. Sora followed, blade ready to land a blow. 

Riku blocked it, the shockwave echoing through both of them and they flinched, jerking away from each other. 

Sora panted as he landed on his feet in the sand. They were still pretty equally matched, even with his powerups and keyblade transformations. Sora couldn’t be more proud of Riku if he tried. 

Still though. 

He had to win. 

He tried to think of something that would throw Riku off completely, wracking his brain while blocking blows from Riku’s keyblade as the older boy attacked. 

Then he figured it out. 

He waited until Riku started to fight up close, a carefree smirk playing on that face, teal eyes bright with amusement and determination. It was so different and yet, so familiar. This was how they sparred when they were much younger. 

And just like when he was young, Riku still had that one weak spot. 

“There’s a spider on your head.” 

“What!” Riku lowered his guard as his free hand instinctively came up to brush through his hair. 

Sora used that opportunity to push Riku’s keyblade from his hand. It clattered to the sand, which was fine because Sora threw his own down with it and wrapped his arms around the taller boy. Together they fell to the ground where they wrestled for a moment till Sora found himself on top for once, his hands pinning Riku’s to the ground on either side of his head. 

“Now I definitely win,” Sora panted. 

“No way,” Riku tried to struggle but Sora pinned him down firmly until the taller boy stopped moving. “I’m not saying it.” 

“Say it!” Sora teased. “Say it or I’m gonna drool on you.” 

“You wouldn’t.”

Sora didn’t say anything, just made it obvious he was getting a good wad of spit ready. 

“Ugh! Sora that’s gross! Fine, you win!!” Riku relaxed underneath him. 

Sora laughed. “I knew that would get you.” 

“Haha, you always cheat.” 

Sora pouted, ”You’re the one who says to use every strength you have. I just know you really well.” 

“Yeah yeah.” 

Riku’s eyes met his and suddenly Sora’s face felt ten degrees hotter from something other than exertion. Every nerve was suddenly 1000% more aware of every point of contact between Riku’s body and his own. 

Did Riku always look at him like that? 

When did Riku’s face get all pretty? He didn’t  _ look _ any different, just older. Did that mean that Riku was always pretty? 

Of course he was. 

Especially with that blush that was now highlighting his face. Sora glanced down and found that it went all the way down Riku’s neck and turned his ears a bright red. 

Sora also suddenly realized he was still pinning Riku’s hands to the ground. If he wanted to, he could lean down and see what Riku’s lips tasted like. 

And suddenly there was nothing that Sora wanted more than to do just that. 

With a gasp, Sora rolled off of Riku, breathing heavily and pulling his knees up to his chest. Did he really just think that?

What did that  _ mean?? _

He had told Riku earlier that he loved him, that his love for his two best friends was different in an indescribable way. Something he couldn’t put into words just then. 

Now the words were banging down the door, begging to be pondered upon. 

Sora refused to open the door. He couldn’t.  _ Not now. _ He didn’t have time and he  _ wanted _ time. It was too soon and--

“Shh...” 

Suddenly, Sora was wrapped in a cocoon of warmth, feeling safer than he had in weeks.

“Sora, it’s okay. You don’t have to cry.” 

_ Huh? _

With a start, Sora realized that he was crying, the tears coming faster after he realized it. He buried his face in Riku’s shoulder, breathing deeply and finding comfort in the smell. 

“It’s okay,” Riku repeated, running his hands softly through Sora’s hair. “It’s okay.” 

“Riku,” Sora stated, sure that Riku couldn’t hear him with his face covered, but he felt Riku hum in acknowledgment. 

“Yeah?” The older boy prompted when Sora didn’t continue. 

Sora reached up with his hands to wrap around Riku, clutching at the other’s jacket. “I don’t-- I can’t-- think about all this now. Tomorrow’s the-- and then I--” 

“I know.” Riku ran his hand down Sora’s back. “We don’t have to talk about it now. We don’t have to talk about it ever.” 

Sora shook his head. “I want to talk about it. Just… I can’t think about it now. My head and my heart hurt and I--” He cut himself off with a sob. It was overwhelming. Everything he felt for Riku hit him all at once like a swarm of Heartless, and Sora wasn’t sure what to think. 

Riku’s arms squeezed tighter. “Okay. Then after. We’ll talk about it after.” 

Shakily, Sora nodded. Then he buried himself in Riku’s arms. “I love you.” 

“I love you too,” Riku responded easily. 

It didn’t matter how the other meant it. What mattered at that moment was how they felt. The bond between them was unbreakable, forged of something stronger than steel. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank You for reading and I hope you enjoy! I love writing these fics for my own amusement and I hope you guys get the same joy from reading them! :D


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A shared heart and a moment in time. Can two who are separated manage to meet again?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This last drabble was (of course) written after I stretched out my anxiety feels after beating the game. I didn't get the secret ending at first so when I finally just looked it up online I was like "wait! WAIT!!! WHERE ARE THEY?! HOW DID RIKU--?!" and then I wrote this to try and bridge that gap...

Riku couldn’t sleep in the room Yen Sid had given him. It had an extra bed in it.

What was meant to be Sora’s bed. 

How could he sleep here if Sora wasn’t with him?

Riku sighed for the fifth time that night and stood up, slipping his shoes on and swinging his jacket on. 

He glanced at the empty bed. He had put Sora’s old clothes there as if they were still waiting for their owner to return. And it caused a spike of hurt to travel from his heart to his clenched fist. 

He had let Sora go because he knew the brunet would return. He believed in him. 

It didn’t make the wait any easier. 

Quietly, he slipped out his door and closed it, sneaking past the other bedrooms in the hallway. He did pause outside of Kairi’s door to listen, but it sounded like she was sleeping soundly. Which was good. She had woken up with nightmares for days. Riku had tried to dive into her dreams to fight them off, but nothing worked. He was tied to Sora’s dreams only. Not that it did him much good lately. 

Riku hurried down the steps, his feet flying faster the closer they got to the bottom. He burst out the front door breathing in what felt like the first breath of fresh air he had in a while. 

The tower had shifted again, the stars here unfamiliar, unlike any he had seen before. 

Riku took a breath and sat down at the border of the world, hanging his feet over the edge, then laying back and resting his arms under his head. 

If he closed his eyes, he could almost pretend Sora was beside him. 

“Riku?”

Teal eyes shot open at the sound of Sora’s voice. 

“Sora?!” 

Suddenly Riku wasn’t in the world of the Mysterious Tower. Instead, he found himself falling. 

No, not falling. 

Dropping. 

He flipped himself into a controlled dive. It had been a while since he did this, but the movements were instinctual. His target was ahead, a platform that looked worn and cracked but still holding together. 

Sora. 

Riku landed gracefully, finding the entire platform shrouded in a thick mist. “Sora? Answer me!” 

“--ku!” 

Riku turned sharply. He could hear Sora but he couldn’t-- “Sora!” 

“--ku!” 

It didn’t make sense. It was like Sora was right in front of him but he couldn't see him. 

Riku let out a sigh, closing his eyes.

And suddenly he could  _ feel _ Sora. 

He opened his eyes again, finding only mist. But when he squeezed his eyes shut, he could feel Sora right in front of him. He reached his hand out, and it was instantly engulfed in a warmth he recognized as Sora's hand. Smaller than his own, but with the rough calluses formed from years of fighting. 

“Sora,” he breathed the word out, squeezing the hand in his. 

“Riku!"

It appeared that Sora couldn’t hold back, or could just see him better because suddenly Riku felt his whole body engulfed in Sora’s warmth. Riku wrapped his own arms around that warmth, feeling Sora’s body, even if he couldn’t see it. “Sora, where are--”

“I don’t know,” Sora said, voice muffled a bit as if his face was again buried in Riku’s shoulder. “I don’t… but…” 

Riku squeezed Sora closer, keeping his eyes shut. “It’s okay. I’m going to find you. Wherever you are.” 

He felt Sora nod. 

“Okay… And Riku?” 

Riku hummed in acknowledgment. 

“I don't… I’m still confused about my feelings, but I know I want to figure them out with you.” Sora’s grip tightened. “I want you here and I never want to let you go ever again.”

“I’ll find you,” Riku repeated, with a renewed sense of determination. He didn’t care how he had to do it, he would find Sora. ”I promise. Whatever it takes.” 

Sora nodded. 

Suddenly the warmth started fading. It wasn’t like Sora was withdrawing, but more like--

“Riku! You’re disappearing!” 

Riku tried to squeeze tighter but he could feel Sora’s heart rate spiking through their clothes and whatever it was that was separating them. The brunet was waking up. “I’ll find you Sora! I promise!” 

“I know you will.” 

Suddenly, there was a press of something warm against Riku’s cheek, followed by a gust of warm air, then it was gone. Riku raised his hand to touch the spot that tingled with the reminder of Sora’s kiss. 

“Sora…” Riku breathed out, opening his eyes slowly. The grey mist from earlier was dissipating, revealing the platform he was standing on. 

To his surprise, it wasn’t Sora’s, nor was it his own. It seemed to be a combination of the two, both of them sleeping back to back while the stained glass radiated the colors of their combined keyblade. 

A shared station of awakening? Was that even possible? 

Then Riku felt the jolt of his own body waking up and he let himself do so, having no reason to stay in such a space without Sora by his side. 

Teal eyes blinked open, finding that the sky was now starting to illuminate with a thin ray of daybreak. 

His fist clenched, summoning his keyblade with barely a thought. 

He had made a promise to Sora. Whatever it took. 

He and Sora shared a connection. Riku just had to follow it. 

He would find him. 

Then they could talk about  _ everything.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhhh. Well, y'all _know_ Riku's determination so I'm sure everything will be _just fine..._
> 
> I hope you enjoyed these cleaned up and prettied drabbles! Now I *really* got to work on my bb (but will likely end up writing other fics instead because I have no attention span.)

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed! If you did feel free to leave a comment. :D


End file.
